President Donald Trump of the United States said late on Saturday that he has asked the Defense Department to prepare for possible military action in Nigeria if the Nigerian government “continues to allow the killing of Christians.”
The American President also said the US government may have stop all aid and assistance to Nigeria.
Mr Trump said this in a post on his Truth Social platform.
He said the US may “very well go into that now disgraced country, ‘guns-a-blazing,’ to completely wipe out the Islamic Terrorists who are committing these horrible atrocities.”
“I am hereby instructing our Department of War to prepare for possible action. If we attack, it will be fast, vicious, and sweet, just like the terrorist thugs attack our CHERISHED Christians! WARNING: THE NIGERIAN GOVERNMENT BETTER MOVE FAST!
This intensify recent call by the American government towards tackling growing religious killings in the country, which led the Trump administration to declare Nigeria as a County of Particular Concern.
In a post on Truth Social on Friday, President Trump wrote: “Christianity is facing an existential threat in Nigeria. Thousands of Christians are being killed. Radical Islamists are responsible for this mass slaughter.
“I am hereby making Nigeria a “COUNTRY OF PARTICULAR CONCERN” — But that is the least of it. When Christians, or any such group, is slaughtered like is happening in Nigeria (3,100 versus 4,476 Worldwide), something must be done!
“I am asking Congressman Riley Moore, together with Chairman Tom Cole and the House Appropriations Committee, to immediately look into this matter, and report back to me.
“The United States cannot stand by while such atrocities are happening in Nigeria, and numerous other Countries. We stand ready, willing, and able to save our Great Christian population around the World.”
Meanwhile, President Bola Tinubu has promised that the Nigerian government would engage with the US government to strengthen its concerns and deepen understanding and cooperation on protection of communities of all faiths.
“Nigeria opposes religious persecution and does not encourage it,” he said in a statement.